Elizabeth's Kitchen Diary

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How to make Recycled Newspaper Easter Baskets

Published on April 5, 2012 • Last updated November 22, 2023 by

This easy recycled newspaper Easter basket project is perfect to make with the kids over the Easter school holidays.

Prep Time: 2 hours

Drying Time: 48 hours

Difficulty: Easy

Image of two recycled newspaper Easter baskets in the grass lined with fabric and decorated by children.
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Several weeks ago, I was invited by my friend Julia to join her at a local SWRI meeting as an assistant (moral support!) while she taught them how to make woven newspaper baskets.

All in all it was a very good night – those SWRI ladies are such good fun and don’t they half know how to have 8 o’clocks! We even managed to get our name in the paper for our efforts.

I’ve used Julia’s newspaper basket instructions to make Easter baskets for my two youngest children.

Supplies for one basket:

  • 16 newspaper pages
  • clothes pegs
  • stapler
  • papier mache paste
  • white vinyl matte paint
  • acrylic paints, assorted colours
  • scrap fabric
  • double-sided tape
  • embellishments

How to make it

Image of newspaper folded in an accordion shape to make strips one inch thick.
Image of 12 one inch thick strips of folded newspaper woven to make a six inch square woven base.
Image of woven newspaper shaped into a rough basket shape.

1. Fold newspaper into one-inch thick strips and hold in place with a clothes peg.

2. Weave base together using 6-inch x 6-inch base, as shown above.

3. Continue to weave the sides together.

Image of woven newspaper shaped into a basket shape with the edges trimmed.
Image of a rough woven newspaper basket with a newspaper handle stapled on.
Image of two finished woven newspaper baskets with handles.

4. Staple the top together and trim with scissors to the required size.

5. Add a handle made with two pieces of newspaper entwined around each other. Staple in place.

6. Add top edging of folded newspaper. The basket is now ready for several layers of papier mache.

Image of child painting a papier mached woven newspaper basket with white paint.
Image of two finished newspaper baskets painted white.

How to make papier mache paste

  1. Heat over a low-medium heat, stirring constantly until thickened.
  2. In a saucepan, combine one cup flour and two cups of water.
  3. Cool.
Image of two young children painting easter baskets with colourful paint.
Image of finished painted newspaper easter basket.

7. After the papier mache layers are dried, paint with white matte vinyl wallpaint

8. Let the children paint the baskets with acrylic poster paints and embellish them as they wish.

9. Line the basket with fabric, if desired. I used double-sided tape and fabric glue.

Image of a group of older SWRI ladies holding up their woven newspaper baskets.
SWRI ladies and their woven newspaper baskets, circa. 2012, for posterity.

Project Difficulty Levels

Easy

Requires basic craft skills and materials you most likely already have in your kitchen.

Moderate

Requires more experience or preparation. You may have to source special materials.

Challenging

Projects requiring more advanced skills and experience and maybe some special equipment.

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About Elizabeth

Solivagant. Foodie. Calls Shetland home.

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Comments

  2. brenda heads

    These baskets will keep the kids busy and having fun. I like to make things around the table with the kids you never quite know what they will be telling you as you work.

    Reply

  3. Megan Adams

    These look excellent! *or eggcelent ;-)*

    Will be bookmarking this one and making one with my daughter next year for sure!

    Reply

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